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E-textbooks are Going to have to Become Much More User-friendly if they want to Beat out Paper Textbooks in the Long Run

Many people who use e-textbooks use them because they are the cheaper option; not because they are easier to use or more helpful in studying. An electronic version of almost every college textbook is available, yet only 11% of students are accessing their books online. Students feel that the PDF files the e-textbooks pages are made up of are "clunky and eye straining to read." So, in a world where technology is taking over in every aspect of society, how are e-textbooks planning on catching up? A completely new platform for e-textbooks that is more user-friendly and appealing to consumers. E-book producers such as Wiley, Kno, and Apple, are all working on adding features that make the E-book experience more enjoyable and interactive. Videos, note-sharing, and the ability to add third-party content are just some of these knew features that will hopefully make technology a real front-runner in the textbook world. Textbook publishers are pairing up with Universities and running trials of several new technologies to see if students will jump on the bandwagon of this less-expensive, technological direction the world of education is traveling in. If students are accepting of these new user-friendly e-textbook options, the next generation of college students will graduate without ever holding a textbook in their hand.